Understanding Fractions — Answer Key
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
If 2 out of 6 stars are shaded, the fraction is 62.
Corrected: If 2 out of 6 stars are shaded, the fraction is 26.
Fractions are written with the part you have on top and the total equal parts on the bottom. Since 2 stars are shaded out of 6 in all, the fraction is 26, not 62.
2. Fix the sentence:
33 of a circle means none of it is shaded.
Corrected: 33 of a circle means all of it is shaded.
When the numerator and denominator are the same, every single part is shaded, which means the whole is filled in. So 33 of a circle means all of it is shaded.
3. Fix the sentence:
The fraction 14 means 1 whole divided into 3 parts.
Corrected: The fraction 14 means 1 whole divided into 4 parts.
The denominator names how many equal parts the whole is split into. In 14 the denominator is 4, so the whole is divided into 4 parts, not 3.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. If 3 out of 8 balloons are red, the fraction of red balloons is 38.
The fraction of red balloons compares the red ones to the total number of balloons. With 3 red out of 8 in all, that fraction is 38.
2. A shape split into 6 equal parts with 5 shaded shows 56.
Six equal parts make the denominator 6, and 5 of those parts being shaded makes the numerator 5. Putting them together gives 56.
3. The fraction 44 equals 1 whole.
When the top and bottom numbers match, every equal part is counted, which fills the whole shape. So 44 equals 1 whole.
4. In the fraction 710, the denominator is 10.
The denominator is the bottom number of a fraction and shows the total equal parts. In 710 the bottom number is 10, so the denominator is 10.
Part C: True or False?
Read each statement. Circle True or False.
1. 05 equals zero because no parts are shaded.
True False
True. With 0 on top, you are counting zero of the 5 parts, so nothing is shaded and the value is 0.
2. A fraction always represents less than 1 whole.
True False
False. Fractions like 44 or 64 can equal one whole or even more than one, so they are not always less than 1.
3. 66 equals one whole.
True False
True. Six parts out of six total parts means every piece is included, which makes a complete whole.